She deserves a great life
by vickeehw
Summary: Passionately beautiful, fiercely independent and extremely loyal are only a few of the characteristic of Erin Lindsey. Let's see where life goes. Linstead Pairing. Angst/Hurt/Love. First time story writer.
1. Chapter 1

"Sometimes in life, things get cold. Too cold to imagine, like your about to shrivel up because this cold darkness takes out your light. It's gnawing at you like your it's food, it's unprecedented and unbelievable but sometimes... Just sometimes, a little glare of light out shines it."

* * *

*car screeches around the corner*

With every fibre of his being Jay Halstead bellowed

"ERIN! BOMB"

-24 hours earlier-

Jay and Erin had been together for a few months, things were going well. They had moved in and Hank Voight had accepted it. It was like Hank knew that it was time to let the broken girl he once knew feel a burning love, stronger than his. It's 8am both Jay and Erin are up doing the usual morning routine consisting of shower, coffee and a few exchanged jokes.

"Jay you're not funny, give me back my grenade" Erin laughed

"Erin for the last time I don't have your grenade, maybe it's still at work?" jay replied

"I know it's not, I need it. It gives me luck on the job" Erin with less enthusiasm answered.

"come on let's get to work, or we will be late. We shall check there"

The windy city was cold as usual, Erin dressed in her usual jeans, casual T-shirt and jacket with her statement beanie on her head walked to the driver's side of the car. Jay walked straight to the passenger's side and waited for her to unlock it.

"still keeping me as a house husband I see" grinned jay

"You didn't complain last night when we role played in that new lingerie, did you?"

"ohhhh, baby that's cold" jay snapped back with an even wider grin.

* * *

The walk into the station was the same as usual, Trudy Platt giving Burgess an ear full that was until she saw Lindsey... there was always some weird connection between the two. Stopping mid-sentence, she greeted Lindsey and joked with jay about how he looked like a baby. Upon reaching the intelligence office, Atwater and Ruzek were already in messing around playing paper toss. Erin headed straight for her desk and began to look through her desk to find her grenade, although she still had an inkling that Jay had hidden it from her. See Erin is a believer of superstition and fate, Jay not so much.

"DAMN IT!" Erin muttered

"Not there?" Jay asked quizzically.

Before Erin had a second to reply Hank Voight burst up the stairs everyone stop what you're doing and listen up he exclaimed. With that the room was silenced, Hank was command and his team knew that. No matter what, Hank had the last word.

Hank stood in front of his team, with a look that no one could register. Jay looked at Erin, who was staring at Hank. she knew, this was bad.

"Karl Ledger has put word out on the street that his coming for you, for killing his brother Sean" Hank managed to squeeze out whilst staring into Erin's eyes.

The room filled with feelings of anger and disbelief, the man who's brother attacked Erin and shot at her, decided he had the right to want her dead. Erin fell backwards onto her seat and looked up at Hank, before she had a chance to say a word. He walked over and put his hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry Kid, I've got you" looking around at those in the room he realised and said out loud "we've got you". With that the team knew, it was all hands-on deck and immediately began calling contacts to see if anyone knew anything at all.

* * *

Since the news broke the team had been working hard checking with C.I's to find information on Ledger. Jay and Erin had gone over to a local bar which had been known as the Ledger brothers spot, with no luck the two decided to go grab coffees for everyone because they both knew they needed something better than the one in the break room. Erin peered out the window the whole ride, not really saying much which had Jay worrying that she was beginning to overthink and slip into some old ways.

"Erin, I won't let nothing happen to you. You know that, right?"

Erin turned to face Jay and tried to begin her sentence before she could Jay burst out with

"You're my girl, Always. I told you jobs come and go, people come and go. But you, you're here to stay"

Erin felt her heart melt, Life had been crappy to her no dad, drugged up mother and forced to be a parent at a young age, these words were all she longed for. Erin had never been in love but inside she knew this is what it felt like.

"Jay, don't worry everything's going to be fine… By the way find my grenade and I'll find a way to repay you"

"Oh man, I really hope I'm thinking what you're thinking. Let's get back to the station I'm about to search everywhere for this thing."

* * *

Just as Jay and Erin walked up the stairs to the office Atwater shouts out "Sarg, I've got something". With that the room fell silent. "Okay so word out on the street is, Ledger just bought a house a few blocks away from Lindsey's apartment". Hank immediately replied, "Gear up, were going".

Downstairs in the bullpen, Erin slot's her arms through the holes in her vest walks over to jay and grabs her hair to move it out the way. As if by instinct without que, Jay grabs the vest and straps it on securely.

Hank picks up the radio and radio's through to burgess and roman who are in a squad car position close enough to the house to see but fair enough away to remain undetected. "Burgess, you got anything"

"Were here and not seeing anything, you want us to go knock?"

"No burgess stay there, radio if there is change"

Hank turns to the team stood behind him. "Okay let's go. Erin your riding with me" Erin would usually put up a fight, she's stubborn and fiercely independent but this was not a request she chose to argue. This was her life potentially at stake.

Pulling up behind the squad car Hank squeezed Erin's leg and waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. After waiting a few minutes with no one turning up hank tried to radio through to Halstead, but the radio seemed to have gone down. Turning to Erin, Hank scowled "Let's just go knock on the door and see if anyone's home" Updating Burgess on the plan and asking them to keep trying to get hold of the rest of the team, Erin and Hank proceeded to the door.

Just as they are about to ring the door bell

*car screeches around the corner*

With every fibre of his being Jay Halstead bellowed

"ERIN! BOMB"


	2. Chapter 2

"You can't prepare for a sudden impact. You can't brace yourself; it just hits you, out of nowhere, and suddenly, the life you knew before is over… Forever"

-Greys Anatomy

* * *

Jay Halstead, the man who swore to protect Erin Lindsey stood still. His ears were not taking in any sound and the world stood at a stop inside of him. There was no blue sky above, only clouds of grey and flying pieces of smog. He knew this was bad, this was either the end of the best life he knew or the making of another. Disoriented and confused, tired and dying emotionally he realized, he had to get her... it was time to fight.

As jay took the first step since the explosion he began taking command, "Is everyone okay? Call out".

"We are" Burgess called out referring to herself and roman.

"we're good, where's Hank and Lindsey?" shouted Atwater and Ruzek

"There in there we have help them… Ledger he knew, he knew we were coming. It was a trap, Burgess call for rescue teams, the rest of you let's start getting through this rubble. We have to find them both". It was like Jay knew, no matter what he had to be strong for his team and for Erin.

* * *

As Atwater and Ruzek began pulling concrete blocks out the way and moving what they could, it was then they saw what looked to be a foot. A male foot. "GUYS, HELP" Atwater cried out, with that the streets filled with the sound of siren's. The team breathed a sigh of relief they knew that meant firehouse 51 was on the scene and would stop at nothing to help protect their own.

"Okay Squad I need Capp and Cruz to go help Atwater and Ruzek, the rest of you come with me" Kelly Serveride commanded to his team. "Yes boss" the team replied simultaneously. Kelly Serveride the former flame of Erin Lindsey had moved on from their fling but always had time for her he looked directly into jay's eyes and with some confidence said "we'll find her don't worry".

Capp and Cruz made their way directly to Atwater and Ruzek, who were still both trying to move the rubble from the foot they had identified as Hanks. As Capp and Cruz cleared the rubble away, Hank began to come too "Dawson, Brett we need a stretcher ASAP Hanks waking up". Dawson made her way over and began to check Hanks vitals', checking for serious injuries.

"Voight, it's me Dawson can you hear me?"

"Voight, if you can hear me squeeze my hand"

Within seconds Voight responded to the request and began coughing, he took off the oxygen mask that had been placed on him by Brett and was fighting with the Ambo 51 team to try and speak.

* * *

"WHERE IS SHE? WHERE IS ERIN?" Hank screamed.

"Hank, listen to me. You need to keep the mask on, it would appear you have been very lucky, you've only received slight cuts and bruises but you've inhaled a lot of smoke and rubble. We need to get you to the hospital to check on your lungs and make sure you're okay". Even though Dawson knew the words she just spilled out to Voight were more than likely falling on deaf ears, she had to try.

Hank Voight, strong, brave and protective. Three qualities that was installed through his veins. Erin moved in with him when she was 15 and from that day he took a vow to protect her, or at least that's what Erin believed. Really Hank met Erin when she was very young, home alone and left to take care of her baby brother as her mother Bunny had gone to score. See Hank Voight and Bunny had a history, only they knew how much of a history they had.

"I'm not leaving this scene until she is found, do you hear me?" Hank clarified.

With that Chief Boden walked over to Hank, shook his hand and said pointing in the direction of the ambo "If you're staying you sit over there with the mask on and let mine and your men find Erin" Hank didn't argue, he took a walk to the ambo where he and the chief sat still in silence.

* * *

"Truck, let's start clearing out near the door way if Erin was the one to ring the bell she more than likely in this area. Mouth and Otis, you two assist intelligence in keeping the public under control and out of the way" Casey assertively directed his team.

"Hank, are you okay?"

"Halstead I'm fine, go help everyone else. Like the rest of the team"

"Okay sarg I know, but you know she would kill me if I didn't keep my eyes on you"

"How about I kill you for not warning us about the bomb sooner? Huh, would you like that. Look around you, look at this mess". Hank said with pent up emotions. He knew it wasn't Jay's fault but in that moment, he needed to blame someone other than himself for not protecting his little girl.

"HANK, this wasn't my fault... You know I would never hurt a hair on her head. The radios were down I couldn't get through the traffic was blocked and we couldn't get through even with our lights on. I got here as fast as I could" Jay paused, took a deep breath and repeated "I got here as fast as I could" It was almost as if he needed to hear himself say it repeatedly to believe it.

Hank just stared at him, he didn't talk and he didn't move. He just gave him the look, the look which meant get away from me before I take you somewhere you won't come back from. With that Jay began to turn away.

"Chief, I have something here" Casey called out.


	3. Chapter 3

Every song has a CODA, a final movement. Whether it fades out or crashes away, every song ends. Is that any reason not to enjoy the music? The truth is, there is nothing to be afraid of. It's just life.

\- One Tree Hill

* * *

"one… two... three... C'mon breathe, don't do this to us".

"Charge to three hundred… Step back… Shocking".

Silence.

Erin Lindsey, a woman who would stand in front of a bullet to protect the people she cares about. Loyal till the end and unbelievably compassionate to those who remind her of a past life, lying lifeless in the back of ambo 51. Her soot covered face hiding beneath an intubation tube and bag receiving cpr from Dawson.

"C'mon, you can do it kid" Hank thought to himself.

"One… two… three…"

Silence.

*Beep, Beep, Beep"

There it was faint but steady, within that one moment a pin dropping could have been heard. Hank Voight as quiet as a mouse, holding the hand of the girl who stole his heart. Dawson turned to face Hank Voight and rested her hand on his shoulder, not only to show compassion but the look in her eyes resonated deep within him. Voight was the man who didn't show emotion, but in this situation the water glazing over his eyes was undeniable and unfathomable.

Dawson gave Hank a second to take in the moment turned and said, "We have her Hank, but we don't know what else is going on, if…"

Before Dawson could finish her sentence, Brett interrupted to tell the pair that they had reached the hospital with that the doors flung open with a group of doctors and nurses all ready to treat one of Chicago's finest. Will Halstead, the older brother to Jay looked directly into Hank's eyes and said three words "I've got her". With that they took her straight through and left Hank stood at the hospital doors.

* * *

It was once said that when a person leaves your world in the blink of an eye it's too hard to think about. The fact your supposed to carry on and only be sad for so long and then go back to the good old days like it was nothing, played through Hank's mind. "What if she doesn't wake up", "Why was it her and not me". It felt like a life time had passed since the moment Erin was rushed into surgery. Since then the team had turned up, along with squad and truck, Olinsky and Antonio Dawson. Gathered around the waiting room was people who knew Erin Lindsey, people who she loved or even adored, people who carried her when she couldn't go on. Her family sat in silence.

In the very corner of a room sat a man clearly in emotional pain, broken and helpless. Jay hadn't spoken since leaving the scene and reaching the hospital. He quietly sat in the corner, going over the last conversation he had with Lindsey. "You're my girl… You're here to stay". Before he could allow himself to think about it any longer, Will walked through the door and immediately caught the attention of everyone

"Hey Hank, I've got some news for you. Do you want to step outside?"

Hank looked around and replied in his raspy voice "No, here is fine."

"Okay, when Erin got here she was in bad shape, one lung had collapsed due to injuries sustained during the explosion and shrapnel from the building or bomb had made deep lacerations to her left thigh. However, each of these injuries have been addressed and she will recover from them".

Hank breathed a sigh of relief, but not even a second later Will proceeded to finish his update.

"However, when the blast occurred, something struck her in the head causing a subdural haematoma. Our brain surgeon Dr. Ashton drilled burr holes into Erin's skull and managed to fully drain the bleed in the subdural area of Erin's skill" By this time in Will's update, Alvin Olinsky Hank's best friend had moved his way over to extend a hand to Hank's shoulder. Only Alvin knew the pain Hank was feeling.

Jay from the corner of the room and without hesitation began questioning his brother, "What does this mean? Is she going to be okay? Will she wake up, If so when?" Although Hank wanted to turn around and tell him to shut up, he also knew he needed these answers too.

"Jay, just let me finish." Will insisted and carried on. "We are hopefully that Erin will make a full recovery, but we don't know when she will wake up. It could be today, it could be tomorrow or it could be a few days from now. She is breathing by herself but her body and brain need time to rest".

The minute those words were spoken was the minute that took the pain out of the room. The woman they all cared for would wake up. It was just a waiting game.

"Hank would you like to see her?"

Without a second going by Hank simply replied with "please"

* * *

Walking in the room where Erin laid was by far a harrowing sight, although not nearly as bad as her not breathing in front of him. Taking in his surrounding, everything from the dimly lit room, the cold snowy weather out the window and a girl who he adored laid peacefully in front of him. Hank proceeded towards the chair at the top of Erin's bed, extended his hand to hold hers and gentle put his other on the bed frame and leant over and kissed her gently on the forehead, quietly moving back into the chair.

"So, kid, you gave me quite a scare, you were always good at that. You remember the time you were angry at me because Camille and I had promised to take you and Justin to the fair, but then work happened. I'll never forget what you did, leaving and going to stay at some friends without telling anyone and you didn't come back for three days. See that's when I knew. Knew you were my kid, it hit me like a tonne of bricks. Your mum came to see me the other week, man I wish we could discuss what she told me but your just not ready yet. Just know the things I do are for you, to protect you. I love you Erin, you wake up when you want to. Please make sure you do, there is so much you need to know when the time is right".

Walking towards the door, Hank turned took a look at Erin's peaceful body and said, "Don't worry I'll get Ledger and he will never hurt you again".

* * *

As time had gone on some of the team and squad had decided it was best for them to go home and rest, they knew Erin was okay and thought it was better to be out the way. For the past three hours Jay had sat in the same seat, with the same soot covered clothes on, staring hopelessly into thin air. Noticing Jay's demeaner Antonio walked over and sat beside him.

"She's going to be okay Jay, She's Erin. She's tough".

"I know, that's not the point though, she should never have been in that position".

"Jay this is not your fault, this is on Ledgers conscience. Not yours. Go see her, talk to her".

Jay listened to what Antonio had said and realised that maybe it was time to go sit with her, besides feeling sorry for himself wasn't helping her.

Walking towards the same chair once occupied by Hank, jay sat and took Erin's hand.

"Babe, I don't know if you can hear me. I only wish that you can. God, I love you. I don't understand why life has to be so cruel, you're going to be okay though". Slowly losing his ability to hold in his emotion together he carried on talking to Erin, losing more built up tears with each sentence. "I told you I would protect you and I failed you. For that I am sorry. I don't think you realise just how special you are, this fragile yet strong women. You can do anything you want yet you choose to love me, I just don't understand it. Erin Lindsey the girl of my dreams, I want you to be my wife one day, I want you to have our children. Hell let's get a dog when you are out of here, let's start training now". With that a slight smile appeared on Jay's face. "You are my beginning middle and end, and I am so ready to get the present you owe me for finding this". Placing the grenade in her hand Jay gently leaned over and gave her a kiss sat back in his chair and rested his head on the side of the bed. "I'll be here when you wake up. I won't leave. I promise".

* * *

 **Author's notes –**

 **Hello guys,**

 **I just thought I would leave a few things here. Firstly, thank you to everybody who has taken the time to read my story. I am a huge Chicago PD fan and a massive Sophia Bush Fan. You'll notice throughout this fiction I will use quotes from OTH and Grey's Anatomy as I love those shows too.**

 **Secondly, I would really love if you could take the time to write a review tell me what your hoping for or wanting from the story, I would really love here. I want to make this story as interactive as possible. I would love to see this be a full fiction with plenty of chapters but it all depends on the readers. As I mentioned I am a first-time writer, so I may not even be good at this.**

 **Again, thank you.**

 **Vicky**


	4. Chapter 4

"Did you say it? I love you? I don't ever want to live without you. You changed my life… did you say it? Make a plan. Set a goal. Work towards it. But every now and then, look around. Drink it in. Cause this is it. It might all be gone tomorrow."

\- Grey's Anatomy 

* * *

Kim Burgess a force to be reckoned with, the beat cop whose instincts were always on point, laid in her bed. Lindsey and Kim had always been close going on double dates with Ruzek and Halstead. 3am in the morning and not one second of sleep, just laid staring at the ceiling, thinking about a life without her best friend. Her and Ruzek had been together for the past 4 years albeit they had a break for a few months whilst Ruzek went away on an undercover assignment. It was like something changed in him when he returned, something deep and emotional. Maybe it was just the time he had to grow away from his friends or maybe he realised the ambiguity of it all wasn't a bad thing, it was exciting. 

Fear of the unknown plagued the thoughts of each person in Erin's life, each one scratching around for something to believe in. Some praying, some drinking, some dealing with their process of thoughts on their own, whilst some dealing with it all together. Each one just waiting for the call that let them know she had opened her hazel eyes. 

Ruzek began to stir from the deep sleep his was in, tossing and turning until he finally rolled over to be greeted with nothing but empty space. Lifting his head from the pillow he gazed around the room to see if burgess was around, noticing the light on in the hall, he slid out of the quilt and wandered into the living room. The sight in front of him made him sad the woman he cared for was sat looking so upset with a cup of coffee in her hands, staring into space. 

"Hey, what are you doing up?" Ruzek quietly asked Burgess hoping he didn't make her jump. 

"Oh, I'm sorry did I wake you? I'm just thinking. Go back to bed". 

"Come on Kim, don't brush me of. Tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours". 

"I can't tell you, because if I do it becomes real. You won't understand, even I don't understand". Kim replied with tears streaming down her face. Ruzek put his hand on the side of her head and said "Babe, I've got you. Just tell me". 

Out of nowhere the words she had to get out flowed like a river into the ocean "I WAS GLAD IT WAS THEM AND NOT ME IN THE BLAST". Ruzek looked at her and instantly knew the feelings she was having was that of guilt and pain. Kim saw his face and continued to say, "You see, I'm a horrible person. My boss could have died, my best friend could have died. But instead when the blast went of my first thought wasn't of them, it was of myself. I was glad it wasn't me". 

Ruzek just looked into her beautiful doe eye's and took in a breath "Listen to me. You don't get to feel bad about this, Erin is in a hospital bed. You were lucky to be alive, you witnessed something dreadful of course you're going to count your blessings for not being caught in the blast. Anyone would. Tell me what did you do after you got out of your initial shock. Let me tell you. You got up, walked over to each member of the team to make sure they were okay. Then you checked yourself for wounds". Taking a deep breath, he continued "If that isn't a selfless act, I don't know what is. Look at me Kim, I love you and we both know I'm an idiot from time to time, but you know I wouldn't be here if I thought you were the kind of person you think you are right now". 

Burgess looked at him, with dried tears stuck on her cheeks. She knew he was right, she just wanted to blame herself to make sense of the whole thing. "I know, and I love you too". Without him knowing it, he naturally told her that he loved her for the first time. 

* * *

Voight walked into the bullpen to be greeted by Olinsky holding Ledger by the scruff of his neck. Atwater and Ruzek just stared watching Voight's eye's meet those that nearly took away Erin and knew that this wasn't going to end nicely at all. 

"Olinsky put him in the car, we're going for a drive" Hank firmly said. 

Olinsky followed his order and got into the car, Hank turned and told Olinsky to get out that this was something he wanted to do alone. Each member of the team knew that Ledger wasn't coming back from this drive, but none of them dared to say anything to him. 

After driving for around 30 minutes, the car began to come to a halt along the rubble that laid between the silo's. Stepping out of the car Hank moved round to the back and pulled Ledger out with so much force that his body flung to the floor. 

"GET UP!". 

Ledger just knelt and laughed. "You think I'm scared, you're not going to kill me. You're a cop. Ha-ha. What's up I hurt the bitch that killed my brother, Get over it". 

With that Hank loaded his gun and laughed "You see you don't know me at all. If you knew anything at all about me you would know there are two things you don't do. You don't fuck with my city and you certainly don't fuck with my family". Taking a second Hank grabbed a fist full of ledgers hair and dragged his body to the edge of the rubble. 

"Okay, okay I get it. I GET IT... IM SORRY". 

"You think that's enough, you say sorry and its done. Now, I'm going to make you pay. You nearly took away the girl that is my daughter. See let me share something I haven't shared with any one. I am her father and she doesn't even know it. So, killing you isn't just the price you have to pay. It's my duty to that girl. From the day, I found out my blood ran through her veins, I swore to protect her just like I did the day her brother was born". 

Hank paused took a revolver from his inside pocket, and took one bullet from the right-side pocket. "I've been thinking for the past 2 days just how this would go down, see I figured seen as though you like to play explosions, we should play something that suites your style. So, here's the plan, I'm going to put one bullet in this chamber and hand it to you. Then you're going to raise the gun to your skull and pull the trigger until your brain explodes. Just your style". 

The terror in Ledger's eyes didn't even phrase Voight. Ledger knelt on his knee's shaking, pleading with Voight for his life even though asking Voight for mercy was a waste of his last few breaths. "Please, don't do this. I will go away, you'll never hear from me. Ever". 

Handing ledger the gun with a gloved hand, Hank raised his weapon up to aim at him. "Just to clarify, you point the gun at yourself and pull the trigger, if you don't I'll shoot your leg, then I'll shoot your other leg. Do you get the game? Let's go going". 

Ledger laughed… "You think you'll get away with it. You cops you're all the same. Idiots". 

Hank gave a smirk "As far as people will know, you came here with a gun and one bullet, with the sole object to kill yourself and fall in the river. Maybe you wanted to be with your brother". A second passed as a gunshot rang loud through their ears. "I told you, don't do it and I'll shoot you multiple times. Either way you want, you're going to die". 

Click… Click… Click… Bang. 

There it was, the bullet. Hank pushed the dead body of Ledger over the edge into the river and then went back to his car and proceeded to the hospital. 

* * *

As Hank walked into Erin's hospital room he saw her laid peacefully in the bed, with Halstead holding her hand asleep on the chair. In his head, he thought of dragging him out the room and firing him from the team just because he could. But he knew, this was the man Erin loved and he wasn't about to break her heart because he didn't like in-house romances. Deciding it was best to give Halstead ten more minutes of sleep he walked out of the room over to the coffee machine, just as he reached it his phone began to ring. 

"Hank, It's Olivia. I heard about Erin I am so sorry, how's she doing? How are you doing?". 

"Hey Olivia, she is okay it's just up to her when she wakes up now. I'm good or at least as good as I can be. How are you?" 

"I'm really good, I just wanted you to know I'm here for you. Always" 

"Thanks Olivia, the same goes for you too. I hope to see you soon". 

After finishing the call Hank walked back into Erin's room and slowly walked over to Jay and put his hand on Jay's shoulder "Jay, wake up". Jay's eye's flung open a clear pointer that he was nowhere near a deep sleep. "Hank, is she okay?". 

"Jay, she is fine. Why don't you go get yourself a change of clothes? You've been wearing those since Atwater brought them to you yesterday. Take a shower, I'll stay here". 

Jay look back at Hank and adamantly told him that leaving was no option. "I want to be here when she wakes up, but there is something I want to talk to you about". Steadily taking a deep breath Jay stood up. "Hank, I love Erin and I know you don't like me. But you must know I would never hurt her. Nearly losing her made me realise just how much I love her. I never, ever want to lose her. So, I want to do the right thing and make this girl my wife, she is best thing that has ever happened to me and I know how much she cares about you. I also know that your opinion means the most to her, so I am asking you to let me have her hand in marriage. You're like her dad and I only thought to ask this of you was right. I want Erin to have a life that's stable and has a certain amount of normalcy in it. I guess this is just the start of how I will prove to you that I am right for Erin". 

Hank just stood staring at Jay with an expression that Jay had never seen, it was like Hank was looking right into his soul and had realisation all over his face. Hank realised that Jay was right for Erin and he couldn't deny it any longer, although he just didn't want to let her go. Hearing the words 'you're just like her dad', made Hank somewhat sick. Knowing that he knew something that they didn't. He wasn't just like her dad… He was her dad and he knew what he had to do. Out it spilled "Jay I do like you kid, I just care so much for Erin. I've seen her at her best and worst, I've seen those Hazel eyes in pain, in happiness and in hopelessness. You have my permission for her hand in marriage". 

Jay smiled but before he could say anything back hank continued to speak and finished with his signature smirk "But if you hurt her, I'll kill you". Jay smirked back at him and left Hank to sit with Erin whilst he went to find Will to ask for the engagement ring of their moms that he had stashed with him secretly hoping that Hank would say yes. 

* * *

3 hours had passed since Hank Voight gave Jay the permission to marry Erin. As Jay sat beside her, he suddenly felt her hand clench his. Jay quickly stood up over her "Erin, Erin can you hear me?". "If you can hear me squeeze my hand" with that he felt another squeeze and then saw the most breath-taking sight in days. Her eyes. 

Weak and faintly there it was her first word in days "Hey". That was the minute Jay's world stopped crashing, she was alive. She spoke. 

Jay went out to the nurse's station and called for a nurse who paged Will, within minutes Will reached Erin's room and checked her vitals, flashing lights in her eyes and asking her serval questions. "It's remarkable" he said. "You're so alert, your body really needed that rest". After putting the clipboard back on the end of her bed Will told the pair that she still needed more rest but could try having her bed adjusted to sit up slightly. 

After Will left the room, Jay thought it was now or never. He needed this girl to be his wife forever. "Erin, I have loved you since the first day I met you" Erin just gazed into his eyes, knowing that she felt the same. "I almost lost you and it damn near killed me, and I tried to picture a life without you in it and I couldn't. I realised you are my girl, my forever girl". Erin just continued to stare at him falling deeper and deeper in love with every word he said and then it hit her, what was coming and the tears began to fall from her eyes. She never thought she was worth anything, how could someone so perfect want her but she realised today was the day, that the person she decided to love, loved her back. "Erin Lindsey, will you marry me? Because I don't want to send another second away from you". Taking in the moment Erin looked deep into Jay's eyes "Yes, I will marry you". 

Jay moved over and placed a kiss on her soft lips and wiped the tears of happiness from her eyes. The words that left Erin's mouth next made him feel happier than he ever thought he could be "Oh and yes, we should get a dog… and thanks for my grenade, but I'm a little incapacitated right now for your prize. Can you wait?" Realising she heard everything he said to her they both laughed. Oh, how he had missed it, the laugh, the sound of her voice and her touch. Nothing could ruin this moment right there, complete utter perfection. 

"In that case, get some more rest. I'm going to go back to the apartment and grab you some proper clothes and nightwear, take a shower because I stink and have some rest also. I love you. I'll call Hank and I'm sure he will be here to sit with you". Placing a kiss on top of her head, he turned and walked out of the room happier than ever before.


End file.
